Thanks to this horrendous targeting call, LSU’s best defensive player will miss the first half of the Alabama game when the Crimson Tide make the trip to Baton Rouge in two weeks. You know, the game that could shape the College Football Playoff landscape. Steeler fans probably want Devin White banned from football, but anyone else watching this game can clearly see this wasn’t a targeting penalty. At best you could say this was a slightly late shove. Even that wouldn’t have warranted a flag in my opinion, but what do I know?

What’s even worse is as part of the rule, the targeting call was reviewed and upheld. How in the world does this happen? If they’re going with the literal use of the word “targeting” as in the quarterback was Devin White’s target to hit, then sure. Maybe referees have been relying on replay for too long and their brains are turning to mush because they’re not required to think anymore. I say that tongue in cheek, but I think most football fans can agree that officiating has gotten noticeably worse and sloppier as replay becomes a bigger part of the game.

Is it possible the first angle doesn’t show the whole story? Perhaps the officials had alternate angles and a better view of the vicious contact made by Devin White. Let’s take a look.

Nope, still doesn’t make sense.

I don’t know how the rules work and it’s too late to dig into the NCAA rule book tonight, but I sure hope there’s a way that this can be corrected. There was no reason for White to miss the remainder of the Mississippi State game, and there sure as hell isn’t any reason for him to miss the first half of the Alabama game. You have two weeks to fix this, SEC/NCAA. I don’t know why I’m putting faith in them to make the right decision, but it’s about time they try to get something right.